The Book of Wood Carving: Technique, Designs, and Projects
by Charles Marshall Sayers
Preface to the Dover Edition
CHARLES Marshall Sayers was born on December 21,1892, in Kirkcudbright, Scotland, one of the oldest seaports in Britain and the birthplace of John Paul Jones. He was the tenth of thirteen children. When he was seven his father, James Charles Sayers, bought him some wood-carving1 tools. Since there was no one to instruct him, he learned by trial and error, aided by an inborn sensitivity to what could be done with these tools. Within a short time the feel of the tools in his hands told him that wood carving was to become his prime and lasting interest.
When he was thirteen his family moved to The Steli, a property outside of Kirkcudbright near the River Dee. Charles refused to attend the Academy, the next school in line for him. Instead he apprenticed himself to his father, who, although not a wood-carver, was a master craftsman in woodwork. His training progressed through the various forms of woodwork to fine-furniture making. This instruction was interspersed with boat building, Kirkcudbright being an active port for fishermen.
Charles was fourteen when his relief-carved portrait of the world champion Clydesdale Baron's Pride received a first award in an art exhibition in Kirkcudbright. At that time he also had his first experience in teaching1, his first student being1 one of his former school teachers.
Several years later he went to Glasgow to attend the Royal Tech-